AS a young adult, I was lucky to work in London, England, for my late uncle at his fine art gallery and appraisal business.
Our neighbours in St. James just happened to be Berry Brothers & Rudd (purveyors of wine and spirits since 1698) who had a warehouse right next door. We shared the same under-pavement (sidewalk) loading chute.
My uncle and the Berry family had an eminently sensible barter arrangement for their occasional business dealings. Filthy lucre rarely changed hands - so it was quite normal to arrive on a Monday morning to discover a case of Cutty Sark or Beaujolais - "jollyboys" as my late uncle nicknamed it - sitting on the shared dock, and sometimes the odd brace of pheasant!
Scotch was in play before or, more usually, after the meal (as well as for unspecified medical emergencies), but never consumed during dinner.
All that's changed with our preoccupation for pairing food and wine. Or beer. Or single malt - as in last week's excellent exploration of The Balvenie Single Malts, paired with a highly inventive lineup of dishes by Four Seasons executive chef Ned Bell at Yew Restaurant + Bar.
A couple of the night's many successful matches came with the smokiness of the 15-year-old Single Barrel, picked up by smoky bacon bits with celery root on grilled sablefish and enhanced by the earthiness of de puy lentils, and maple and pecan vinaigrette.
The 12-year-aged Double Wood's mellow, sherry wood and honey tones were a shoo-in for bacon-wrapped spot prawns with caramelized apple butter.
The capper was pastry chef Bruno Feldeisen's impossibly perfect Vista Doro apple pie beside prune and whisky ice cream and sea salt caramel, all ingredients that seemed entirely appropriate for a final sip of very smooth Port Wood 21-year-aged Single Malt.
If you want to try your own at-home whisky pairing, I'd suggest starting out with the more flexible (and relatively affordable) Double Wood 12-year-aged (BCLS $79.99), which was a willing partner to quite a few tastes we tried, including the chef's soda-and-whisky soaked lightly smoked almonds, smoked oyster Scottish style biscuits, and whisky-misted oysters on the half shell. Just as with wine, when it comes to whisky, working with simpler tastes that incorporate some of the whisky's elements is probably the best way to go.
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Tucked away off San Francisco Bay, Sonoma's clockwork reliable fog, varied terroirs and cool climate setting gives us plenty to cheer about, from crisp sparklers to serious Pinots, good Zins (of course!) and relatively affordable Chardonnays.
Californian winemakers continue to dial in a whole lot less oak than they used to, resulting in drops that are usually far more food-friendly these days.
With its lengthy, even growing season, Sonoma makes the most of a wide range of varieties. Much of the region's vineyards are exposed to marine air cooled by the Humboldt current, producing almost daily, like-clockwork fog that builds by evening but usually burns off by noon, all in all making for ideal growing conditions.
Last week's Sonoma Vintners Tour yielded no shortage of good finds, including: MacRostie Sonoma Coast Chardonnay 2010. From plantings that make the most of the windy, foggy setting, this stylish Chard incorporates from several Sonoma sites, including high up Wildcat Mountain. Look for citrus notes up front, followed by vibrant pear and zesty notes with well-balanced acidity and understated oak. Think cracked crab with mild lemon butter, or sautéed scallops. BCLS $29.99.
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Belly's Budget Best Foppiano Lot 96 Petite Sirah 2009
This easy-on-the-wallet drop delivers a classy punch with generous blackberry, dark chocolate, mocha and spice notes with easy tannins and juicy acidity. Bonus: an all too rare California screw cap. (90 pts.) BCLS $19.99.
